Directional closure for a container

ABSTRACT

The cap is made up of two parts, a ringlike hollow cylindrical body preferably made of metal and a thermoformed plastic top with a formed recessed shape for orientation of the valve button to the top part of the cap. The outer rim body has two recesses for orienting the plastic top with regard to the metal body. The metal body has two inwardly formed lugs. These lugs align the plastic top with the metal body. The plastic top has two notches that mate with the lugs and a recess that fits the valve and this orients the cap. Thus, the top can be removed from the metal body leaving the metal body oriented with the can. In another embodiment, the top is formed in a valleyed shape oriented to the body and attached permanently to it by means of a pressure sensitive tape. The lower rim of the cap is curled in such a way as to make it a permanent part of the container.

United States Patent [72] inventors [21] Appl. No. [22] Filed [45] Patented [73] Assignee [54] DIRECTIONAL CLOSURE FOR A CONTAINER 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

521 05.0. 222/182 511 865d 83/14 50 FieldolSearch 222/182,

3,462,045 8/1969 Markowitz ABSTRACT: The cap is made up of two parts, a ringlike hollow cylindrical body preferably made of metal and a thermoi'ormed plastic top with a formed recessed shape for orientation of the valve button to the top part of the cap. The outer rim body has two recesses for orienting the plastic top with regard to the metal body. The metal body has two inwardly formed lugs. These'lugs align the plastic top with the metal body. The plastic top has two notches that mate with the lugs and a recess that fits the valve and this orients the cap. Thus, the top can. be removed from the metal body leaving the metal body oriented with the can.

[56] References Cited in another embodiment, the top is formed in a valleyed UNITED STATESPATENTS shape oriented to the body and attached permanently to it by 3,178,077 4/1965 Benedetto 222/402. 1 3 means of a pressure sensitive tape. The lower rim of the cap is 3,262,607 7/1966 Hirsch ZZZ/402.13 X curled n Such a way as to make it a permanent part ofthe con- 3,401,843 9/1968 Ahrens et al.,- 222/182 tainer.

I i f l '5- I 2 7 I l) l t 40 PATENTEMzczmn 3.628599 INVENTOR. RICHARD F Heuomcxson -Roocmcx V. Kmc -F/G.5

MK W V "7 z I DIRECTIONAL CLOSURE FOR A CONTAINER It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide an improved cap for aerosol cans.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved two piece cap that is oriented relative to an aerosol can.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cap and aerosol can combination that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efficient to use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved directional cap. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tamperproof cap.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accom panying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view of the body of the cap according to the invention shown in cross section.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the top part of the cap.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the top part of the cap.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the body of the cap.

FIG. 5 is a view of another embodiment of the cap shown in cross section with the top assembled in the cap body.

Now with more particular reference to the drawing, the cap is made up generally of two parts, the body and the top 11. The body 10 is made in the form of a hollow cylinderlike ring which may be made of a single sheet of metal rolled into the form of a cylinder and having its ends attached together in an axially extending seam in a conventional manner. The body has two spaced recesses diametrically opposed to each other on the upper end of it and these recesses are defined by the rolled edges of bead l2. Thiscurl may be deleted, however, and instead of a curl, the metal may terminate in an edge of the same turndown as the metal of the body 10. The upper edge between the recesses is curled at 13 into the form of a bead and the lower end is likewise curled into the form of a bead 14. This lower bead 14 may be formed to snap under lugs or the rim of an aerosol can having a breast indicated at 15 and a valve indicated at 16.

The diametrically opposed lugs 21 are formed at the upper end of the body by flaring the material that would otherwise form the bead I3.

The top 11 has an end 17. The top may be made of a thermoformed plastic material and the recesses 19 are fonned on diametrically opposed positions and these recesses 19 may receive the lugs 21. The recesses 19 are formed by curving the edge of the material of the top inwardly as shown. A boss 20 is formed at the center of the end and it has an opening in it defined by two angular sides 22 and 23 so that a nozzle I6 may be complimentary in shape to this boss and will be held in a directional position relative to the top.

The top may have its ears l8 overlying the recesses defined by the bead 12 in the body and the lugs 21 received in the recesses 19. The top may then be held thus in position on the body 10 of the cap or it could be held there by means of an adhesive tape 40 which will engage the edge surface of the top 11 and the upper periphery of the body 10.

The cap may be made tamperproof by making the bead 32 slightly smaller in diameter than the shoulder 27 on the breast under which the bead is to fit. The shoulder overlies the bead when the bead snaps under it as the cap is applied to the can thus holding the cap in place. Thus it will be difficult to remove the top by ordinary means.

The groove 30 in the plastic top 11 is snapped into the bead and receives the curled bead 13 so that it is not readily removed. Thus the plastic top 11 must be broken or distorted in the lower skirt area in order to remove it.

FIG. 5 shows the plastic top 11 applied to the body 10. The groove 30 formed in the top 10 receives the bead 13. The bead l3 snaps into the groove 30 at the top of the can. Boss 20 is in the form of a downwardly extending projection fixed to the inside of the cap. The can has cylindrical sides 33 and a peripheral shoulder 27 underlies the bead 32 when the cap is in position on the can. The can has a nozzle 16 which is engaged and by boss 20 when the flexible top 17 is forced down by finger pressure. The bead I3 is firmly seated in the groove so that it is necessary to damage the top to remove the bead from the groove. Thus the cap is tamperproof.

The foregoing specification sets forth the the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A cap for a container comprising a ring member having a generally cylindrical hollow shape made of relatively thin material,

said ring member having two diametrically opposed recesses formed in its upper end,

two diametrically opposed inwardly extending lugs formed on the upper end of said ring member,

said lugs being spaced from said recesses,

means on the said ring on the end remote from said upper end for attaching said cap to a container,

a top member,

said top member having a generally cylindrical side wall,

two diametrically spaced ears integrally fixed to said side wall and extending axially therefrom,

said ears overlying the said recesses in said ring,

two spaced recesses in the outer periphery of said top member,

said recesses being spaced from said ears,

said recesses receiving said lugs whereby said top member is held to said ring member,

the end of said top remote from said ears being closed.

2. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein structure providing a noncircular recess is fonned in said closed end of said top,

said recess being adapted to receive the nozzle of an aerosol can whereby said cap will be oriented relative to said nozzle.

3. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein said ring member is made of metal and said top member is made of a thermoforrned plastic material.

4. The cap recited in claim I, wherein a pressure sensitive tape is attached to said top member and to said ring member whereby said top member is held to said ring member.

5. The cap recited in claim I, in combination with an aerosol can,

said can having a breast,

a nozzle member supported on said can above said breast,

said nozzle member having a discharge passage aligned to discharge material through one of said recesses.

6. The cap recited in claim I, wherein said cap is provided in combination with a can having a breast,

said can having an upstanding side wall terminating in a groove,

said can having a breast attached to said side wall and defining one side of said groove,

said breast having a shoulder overlying said groove,

said means for attaching said cap to said can comprises a bead on said lower end of said ring having a slightly lesser minor diameter than said shoulder and being adapted to snap under said shoulder whereby said cap is held in place.

7. The cap recited in claim I, wherein a boss is attached to the lower central part of said top member,

said boss being adapted to engage a nozzle of an aerosol can.

8. The combination recited in claim 6 wherein a nozzle is supported at the center of said breast,

and a boss is attached to the center of said top,

aid boss being adapted to engage said nozzle when said top is deflected downwardly whereby said nozzle is actuated.

i 1 IR 

1. A cap for a container comprising a ring member having a generally cylindrical hollow shape made of relatively thin material, said ring member having two diametrically opposed recesses formed in its upper end, two diametrically opposed inwardly extending lugs formed on the upper end of said ring member, said lugs being spaced from said recesses, means on the said ring on the end remote from said upper end for attaching said cap to a container, a top member, said top member having a generally cylindrical side wall, two diametrically spaced ears integrally fixed to said side wall and extending axially therefrom, said ears overlying the said recesses in said ring, two spaced recesses in the outer periphery of said top member, said recesses being spaced from said ears, said recesses receiving said lugs whereby said top member is held to said ring member, the end of said top remote from said ears being closed.
 2. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein structure providing a noncircular recess is formed in said closed end of said top, said recess being adapted to receive the nozzle of an aerosol can whereby said cap will be oriented relative to said nozzle.
 3. The cap recited in claim 1 wherein said ring member is made of metal and said top member is made of a thermoformed plastic material.
 4. The cap recited in claim 1, wherein a pressure sensitive tape is attached to said top member and to said ring member whereby said top member is held to said ring member.
 5. The cAp recited in claim 1, in combination with an aerosol can, said can having a breast, a nozzle member supported on said can above said breast, said nozzle member having a discharge passage aligned to discharge material through one of said recesses.
 6. The cap recited in claim 1, wherein said cap is provided in combination with a can having a breast, said can having an upstanding side wall terminating in a groove, said can having a breast attached to said side wall and defining one side of said groove, said breast having a shoulder overlying said groove, said means for attaching said cap to said can comprises a bead on said lower end of said ring having a slightly lesser minor diameter than said shoulder and being adapted to snap under said shoulder whereby said cap is held in place.
 7. The cap recited in claim 1, wherein a boss is attached to the lower central part of said top member, said boss being adapted to engage a nozzle of an aerosol can.
 8. The combination recited in claim 6 wherein a nozzle is supported at the center of said breast, and a boss is attached to the center of said top, aid boss being adapted to engage said nozzle when said top is deflected downwardly whereby said nozzle is actuated. 